Cubs have spoken to Alex Bregman on a short-term deal

Alex Bregman remains without a contract for less than a month until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Bregman will not return to the Astros after turning down a reported six-year, $156 million offer that prompted Houston to move on an offer Isaac Paredes/Christian Walker Corner infield tandem.

At the start of the offseason, it seemed as if Bregman and his representation at Boras Corporation were looking to surpass the $200 million mark. Whether that’s still the goal isn’t clear, although it’s understandable that some teams are hoping he can command a high asking price while remaining on the open market.

To that end, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score writes that the Cubs recently had “casual” conversations with Boras about Bregman. Levine suggests the Cubs are not interested in offering a long-term deal. It appears they are on the edge of the market in case the two-time All-Star considers a shorter term with opt-out clauses. However, there is no evidence that Bregman is willing to do so at this time.

Chicago traded Paredes to be the centerpiece of the Kyle Tucker Blockbusters. Top view Matt Shaw is the favorite for the third base job. Shaw combined a massive .284/.379/.488 slash line with 21 home runs and 31 stolen bases between Double-A and Triple-A last season. It would be fair to give him the starting job, but there’s no guarantee that even a prospect of Shaw’s caliber can break out in big league pitching. The Cubs don’t really have a capable backup in case Shaw fails. Vidal Brujan, Luis Vazquez and Rule 5 Selection Gage Workman are the backup infielders on the 40-man roster.

Bregman would provide a much higher floor. In his final season in Houston, he hit 26 home runs with a .260/.315/.453 line. Bregman remained an All-Star player despite drawing significantly fewer walks than in his previous six seasons. He’s entering his season at age 31, and while it’s understandable for teams to be hesitant to commit to six or seven years, Bregman shouldn’t be in danger of leaving immediately.

The Cubs have been at the top of the market in consecutive offseasons. They haven’t made a nine-figure investment since the $177 million investment Dansby Swanson in winter 2022-23. Chicago never played a role Juan SotoThey also apparently had no interest in competing at the top of the starting pitching market. They are loosely connected to them Jack Flahertyalthough it appears that they are also waiting on the sidelines of the market for a good buying opportunity to arise. According to RosterResource’s calculations, the Cubs have about $198 million in luxury tax liabilities, putting them more than $40 million below the base threshold.